I Like You, I Love You, I Hate You
by Booklovr
Summary: Harry's seventh year. Some romance, some break-ups, some fights.
1. Je T'Adore

Je T'Adore

**I Like You, I Love You, I Hate You**

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_A.N.: Ok, this is my first attempt at a fan fiction, so please be kind!If people like this chapter, I'll post the next one and so on.If people don't like it, I may post the next chapter anyway, because I like it!_

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_This chapter is dedicated to my friend, Heaven's Phoenix, who is always ready to fork over any random piece of info I might need, or to read anything I write, and who said "Write the story before you forget it!"Well, that was referring to another story, but I found out I liked writing so much, I wrote this. _

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_Disclaimer:All characters, places, ideas, and everything else Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros._

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**CHAPTER 1:**

Je T'Adore

By Booklovr

It was a week before Harry Potter's last year at Hogwarts was to begin.Thus, it was Harry's last day at the Dursley's--perhaps ever.He was to travel to the Burrow at sunset, and the Weasley's would take him to Diagon Alley to get his school things in the morning.He would then remain with them until he went to Hogwarts.The next summer, he and his best friend, Ron Weasley, intended to find an apartment somewhere in the wizarding world.With luck, Harry would never see his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, or cousin Dudley again.The Dursleys had mixed feelings about this: they would be rid of him forever, but they had always hated to see Harry happy.

His last dinner with them was a salad and cold turkey sandwiches, but Harry couldn't have cared less.He didn't even mind when the Dursleys insisted on keeping him busy as long as possible, trying to delay him by forcing Harry to thoroughly clean his tiny bedroom, until all traces of his ever living there were removed.At 6:29, they all stood together in the Dursley's living room.Harry had his trunk next to him, his wand, broom, and Invisibility Cloak in hand.One by one, he silently and solemnly shook hands with his last living relatives.Dudley attempted to get some final satisfaction by breaking Harry's hand, but his oversized fist really had no muscle in it at all.Then, the clock struck 6:30, and Dudley ran as if a Filibuster Firework was after him.

Suddenly, two boys appeared in the middle of the room.They had bright red hair and freckles, though the latter feature was much faded now that the Weasley twins were nineteen.

"Hello!" greeted Fred, holding out his hand to Vernon Dursley.

Vernon backed up as if he was afraid the hand might explode.A fairly reasonable assumption, actually.Fred shrugged.

"Ready, Harry?" asked George."You won't get lost?"

Harry shook his head.Fred and George picked up the trunk and together Disapparated with it to the Burrow.Harry, being too young to Apparate, would have to fly the whole way.

As he mounted his broom, Harry heard his Uncle say "And I never want to see your face in this house again!"

Harry just smiled, and threw the Invisibility Cloak over himself."Don't worry," he said."I wouldn't come back for all the Wizard gold in the world."As he flew out the open French doors, Harry made a mental note to write them and tell them just how much Wizard gold he had._That_ would make them mad!_And_ he thought with a grin, _maybe send them a picture of myself as well.Just so they can see my face again!_

Harry flew off into the twilight.As he rose, he passed his owl, Hedwig, sleeping in a tree.Supposedly, she would fly to the Burrow later that night, although Harry wouldn't blame her if she stayed there until school started; Hedwig really didn't like Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon.Harry flew until about midnight, occasionally using a simple charm on his wand to make sure he was headed in the right direction.As he looked down on the Burrow, he noticed three figures in the yard: two spots of red hair, and one of icy blond.He was looking at Ron's oldest brother, Bill, returning from a date.According to Ron, Bill was spending the summer at the Burrow because it had been so long since his last visit, and he was currently dating none other than the former Beauxbatons Tri-Wizard Champion, Fleur Delacour.The other head appeared to be Ron, hiding behind a bush.Harry landed next to him.

"What are you doing out here?" whispered Harry.

"I was waiting for you, and the two lovebirds here just Apparated in!" answered Ron."Hey, I thought you were coming by the Knight Bus?"

"Umm, yeah, and when your mother sees me tomorrow, remember that."

Just then, Bill and Fleur finished saying their silent goodnight.Bill started to go inside, then paused with a hand on the door."Fleur," he said, "I love you so much."

Harry and Ron could tell that this wasn't the result of Fleur's part-Veela charm, for she was obviously shocked and flustered.

"I-I," she stammered, "Bill, _je t'adore_!"

Bill stared for a moment in shock, then slammed the door shut.Fleur turned away, looking hurt, confused, and ashamed all at once.Harry and Ron had never seen the French witch look like that before, and were baffled when she Disapparated, nearly in tears.

"What did she _say_?" demanded Harry.

"It sounded like 'shut the door,'" said Ron.

"No, she said something French.'_Je t'adore_,' I think."

"Well, we can ask Hermione tomorrow in Diagon alley," offered Ron, standing up."She speaks some French.I suggest we use that broom to get to my room, though.I think after being dumped like that, Bill will probably sulk in the kitchen all night.

*****

When Harry came down for breakfast the next morning, he was greeted heartily by the Weasleys.It was much like all the other times Harry had visited, only Percy wasn't there; he had his own place now.In his place was a very depressed looking Bill.Fred and George were bent over something on the table, probably another "invention" for the practical joke shop they would be opening soon.Mrs. Weasley was smiling, so she obviously didn't know that Harry hadn't taken the Knight Bus.Mr. Weasley was reading the _Daily Prophet_.Harry sat down between Ron and Ginny, the youngest Weasley and only girl.

"Good morning!" said Harry as Mrs. Weasley served him a breakfast that probably contained more food than he had eaten every day that summer, combined.

"Hello," said Ginny."We figured we'd let you sleep in, since you couldn't have gotten much sleep on the Knight Bus."As Harry started on his breakfast, he noted somewhere on the back of his mind how much Ginny had matured since they had first met.She was no longer just Ron's annoying little sister, and she didn't blush every time she looked at him.

After breakfast, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley used Floo Powder to get to Diagon Alley.No sooner had they stepped onto the street, than Ginny suddenly turned white."Oh, no!" she gasped."It's that Colin Creevey again!Did he see me?Is he coming this way?"She dodged into a nearby shop.

Mrs. Weasley looked shocked."Ah, boys, meet us here at noon, alright?Have fun," and she ran into the shop after Ginny.

"What was that all about?" asked Harry.

"Colin's been coming to see Ginny all summer," Ron explained."She tells him she isn't interested, but he's too persistent.Even Mum is at the end of her patience!"

"I know," said Harry."Oh, no!He's got that camera!"Harry ducked into a shop on the other side before Colin could see him.Harry was not in the mood for signing photographs.

About an hour later, Harry and Ron were sitting at a table outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor eating large sundaes.Hermione Granger, their other best friend, had just spotted them and was weaving her way over.

"Hey!" she shouted, "Guess what?"Hermione sat down, grinning.

"You were made Head Girl," Ron said, promptly.

"How'd you guess?" Hermione was a bit put out.

"Uh, you're wearing the Head Girl badge?" pointed out Ron.

"Oh, right," Hermione held her head up proudly."Did you know there hasn't been a Muggle-born Head Boy or Girl in ten years?"

"Um, yes," said Ron."You said it about twenty times last year while you were studying for finals."

Hermione gave him a look, like Ron was ruining the best day of her life.

"So," Harry interrupted before they began trying to kill each other, "do you know any French, Hermione?"It was a bad distraction, but it worked.

"Of course!" she said."I know tons!I had to learn to speak it when I went to France a few years ago."

"Yeah, you know a lot of Bulgarian, too," said Ron, accusingly.

"Oh, Ron!" said Hermione, "Grow up!I only visited Viktor one time!Stop acting like a child!"

"So, how is old Viky?" said Ron, half teasing, half glowering.

"Knock it off!I haven't even heard from him in years, and you know it!I know what your problem is."Hermione sniffed."You're just jealous because I spent the summer with him and you only got an autograph."

"I'm not jealous!" shouted Ron."I-"

"Getting back to the French," Harry interrupted, giving Ron a look.Together they explained the scene with Fleur and Bill the night before, ending with Fleur's words: "Je t'adore."

"Well…" Hermione hesitated."'_Je'_ means 'I,' and '_t'_' is short for _te_ which is the direct object pronoun for 'you,' and '_adore_' would be the _je_ form of the verb _adorer-_"

"Skip the grammar lesson and just give us a translation," said Ron.

"Well, it means 'I' something 'you.'"

"You don't know what it means?"

"Ummm, no."

"Mark the calendar!" shouted Ron."Hermione doesn't know something!"

"My guess," Hermione continued, ignoring him, "Is she either said 'I love you,' 'I hate you,' or something similar.But 'I love you' is _je t'aime_ and 'I hate you' is _je te deteste_.I've never heard _je t'adore._"

"Never?" asked Harry.

"Nope.I've heard _aimer_, to love, _ardorer_, to adore…"

"Maybe," put in Ron, "she did just say 'shut the door.'"Hermione didn't look convinced.

*****

A week later, the three were at Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station in London, preparing to board the Hogwarts Express.They had loaded their trunks onto the train and were just going back to find Mrs. Weasley and Ginny (Harry suspected a certain sixth year photographer was behind their disappearance) when Ron was approached by a familiar blonde.

"Fleur!" said Ron.He was surprised to see her, but obviously was far more comfortable around her then the last time Harry had seen them together."What are you doing here?"

"Eez," stammered Fleur, "eez your brozer Beel here?"

"Um, no," said Ron, probably planning a way to ask what she had said to Bill."What…what happened between you two?"

"He closed ze door on me!" she cried.

"From what I heard," said Ron, "you told him to.'Shut the door,' you said."

"No!" she wailed."I-I said," her voice dropped to a whisper, "_Je t'adore_."Hermione wore that _I told you so_ look.

"Bill doesn't speak a word of French," Ron pointed out."What does that mean?In English?"

"I-I do not know," murmured Fleur.

"You don't know?" said Ron incredulously.

"I have never heard eet said in Eenglish."She walked off, sobbing.

"Remind me to tell her when we figure out what it means," said Ron.

"Well, we can buy a French-English dictionary in Hogsmeade," offered Hermione.Then she squinted at a distant car of the train."Hey!" she shouted and ran down the train towards some fifth year with a very large bag.

Just then, Harry and Ron spotted Ginny and Mrs. Weasley."Help!" said Ginny."Colin's sitting in the compartment with my friends.Can I sit with you?"

"Why can't your friends just throw him out?" demanded a thoroughly annoyed Ron.

"Ugh," said Ginny, "you know Jane has the worst crush on him.She'll never throw him out!"

"All right, but you can't make any noise!" said Ron.

"Ron!" warned Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh, fine, you can make noise, but don't bug us!"

"Good, my trunk's already in your compartment."

Ron looked like he wanted to say something, but just then the train whistle blew.Ron, Harry and Ginny said hurried good-byes and hopped on the train.The parents and siblings on the platform backed up, and the train took off.Within minutes, the people on the platform had disappeared from sight.

Ron stuck his head out the door.Hermione was standing next to the same fifth year, trying to confiscate a large bag of dung bombs."Hermione!" Ron hissed."Cool it!The term doesn't even start until tonight."Hermione gave the boy and _I'm not finished with you_ look and then joined Ron, Harry and Ginny.

"Hmph," said Ron."This year will go down as the Evil, Tyrannical Reign of Lady Hermione and Lord…who's the Head Boy?"

"Albert Foogus," she said."He's a Slytherin."

"How in the world did a Slytherin get to be Head Boy?" demanded Ron.

"Same way I did: good grades," she retorted."They aren't all like Malfoy, you know!"

"This is going to be a bad year," moaned Ron."I just know it!Nothing good can come from a year starting like this!"

"Considering your Divination grade, I suppose that means we'll have a great year," said Ginny, dryly."I got a better grade then him on last years Divination final," she added confidingly to Hermione and Harry.

"You were doing Tarot cards!" shouted Ron."Those are easy!We were reading _animal entrails_!"His face went white."Ugh, I still can't believe she made us _do_ that!"

Hermione chuckled."I'm glad I dropped that class!"

"Shaddap," muttered Ron.

"So," said Ginny, "I hear there's an opening for a Chaser on the Quidditch team."

"Yes," said Harry."Why, you thinking of trying out?

"No, you can't!" moaned Ron."I'm the Beater!"

"So?" said Ginny.Ron just fumed and muttered something about being followed.Ginny ignored him."Bet you get to be the Captain, Harry."

"I dunno," said Harry."We'll see."

"Oh, come on!" Ginny said."You're the most experienced team member.Six years already!"

Two weeks later, the Quidditch trials were held.Harry was elected Captain of Gryffindor team, and Ginny became the newest Chaser.Ron accused Harry of favoritism, until Harry reminded him that Madame Hooch chose new team members.So, Ron stayed quiet and gave Ginny a dirty look whenever she showed up for Quidditch practice.

He cheered up, though, when the students were given a trip to Hogsmeade on Halloween."Good!" said Ron."We can go visit Fred and George.They finally got their joke shop set up, and I think they open on Halloween."

"Do you think they have a French-English dictionary?" wondered Hermione.

"Is that still bothering you?" wondered Harry.

"She's always bugged when she doesn't know something," said Ron.

Hermione glared."I'm taking a point from Gryffindor for that!"

"But you don't want to lose the House Cup," pointed out Ron.

"And giving you one point for that logic," she said without missing a beat.Ron grumbled about abusing the privilege.Hermione was a tough Head Girl.It was rumored that she could actually smell trouble from across the school.None but the school's worst pranksters dared to cross her.The Slytherins in particular seemed to dislike her, but that wasn't exactly a new development.

So, Halloween came to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing outside Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (Grand Opening Today!)

"Looks kind of empty," said Ron."Think they've had any customers yet?"

"Probably," said Harry.

"Not likely," said Hermione.They shrugged and went in.

"Hello, hello!" said Fred from behind the counter."Welcome to-Oh, it's you."

"Have we got clients?" asked George, coming in from a back room."Oh, c'mon, Ron, you're scaring off the customers!"

"You mean you haven't had any yet?" demanded Ron."Well, considering the service, I'm not surprised."

Ignoring him, Hermione asked, "Do you happen to have a French-English Dictionary we can borrow?"

"Why, yes I have one right here," said Fred."Very convenient, huh?"

"Hey, you know what's a fun French word?" said George."_Pneu_!I like _pneus_, do you like _pneus_?" 

"Yes, yes," said Hermione, reaching for the dictionary.

Fred pulled it out of her reach."I like _pneus_, too!Ron, do you have any _pneus_ we can borrow?"

"Oh, come on," said Hermione.

"You mean you don't sell _pneus_?" said Ron, joining in.

"There isn't a single _pneu_ in this entire village!" said George.

"Will you stop talking about _tires_ and give me that dictionary?" demanded Hermione.

"Say the magic word," taunted Fred, waving the dictionary at her.

"Please," Hermione practically growled.

"Nope!" said George.Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Come on, say it," said Ron,

Hermione mumbled something."What?" teased George.

"_Pneu_," Hermione said through gritted teeth.

"Thank you!" said Fred, tossing her the dictionary."Now, buy something or scram!"

"Hey," said Ron, "do you have any fake brooms?Like the kind that go five feet into the air, then just hover?"

"You still bitter because Ginny got a spot on the team?" asked Fred.

"No more bitter than you were when I took your old spot," said Ron.

"Touché," said Fred."If you look over here-"

"Ron," said Hermione, "Grow up!She got a part on the team.When will you get over it?"

"When you find a cure for sibling rivalry," stated George.

"Something you _only_ children will never understand," added Ron.

Hermione looked a little hurt.

Later, in the Three Broomsticks, Hermione and Ron were glaring at each other over glasses of butterbeer.Harry sat in the awkward silence, wondering what on Earth he should say.

"Hey, guys!" said Ginny, coming over."Ooh, a French-English dictionary.What are you doing?"

That seemed to break the tension.Ron was now glaring at Ginny and Hermione was flipping through the dictionary."I'll look up the word, you bring this to your brothers, and then I'll never speak to you again."

"Fine by me!" shouted Ron.

"We're trying to figure out what Fleur said to Bill," Harry explained to Ginny."Although I can't quite figure out why _they_ are so mad."

"Because he's a total immature jerk!" Hermione shouted."I hate you," she added to Ron.

"Good, because I hate you!" Ron shouted back.

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"And the mystery phrase is…" Hermione looked down."Uh, I-I-I'm, uh," she stuttered.Suddenly, she jumped up and ran out the door.

"Hermione!" shouted Ron."Where the-Where are you-Get back here!"He ran off after her.

Ginny nodded."I give them five minutes before they're best friends again.Once you break the silent treatment, you're as good as made up."

They sat a few minutes in silence.Finally, Harry reached for the dictionary."Might as well find out what it means-"

Just then, there was a loud commotion outside.Harry and Ginny ran to the door.There was a crowd gathered in an alley a short distance away.Hogsmeade law enforcement agents (the Peacekeepers) fought their way through the onlookers.Harry and Ginny ran over.

"What's going on?" asked Harry.

"Fight," said some kid.

"They're arresting three guys, and two kids nearly got killed," added an adult.The crowd was parting.

First came two teenage boys, maybe nineteen, who looked like an older version of Crabbe and Goyle.A murmur ran through the crowd, and Harry had the impression he was looking at the local tough guys.

Then came someone who made Harry look twice.A tall, dark-haired boy, considered good-looking by most of the Hogwarts girls, now sporting a black eye and bloody nose: Albert Foogus.

But that was nothing to the shock Harry got next.The victims were being carried out.Two kids Harry's age, faces beaten almost to the point where Harry couldn't recognize them.One was a girl with long brown hair.The other one-

"Oh my God!" screamed Ginny."_That's my brother!_"

*****

Ron awoke, and immediately knew it was a bad idea.His head hurt so much, he couldn't figure out where he was, though it looked familiar.He tried to sit up.An even worse idea.His eyes focused on an open book on a table next to the bed he was in.Focused on the words._Oh, I see_, he though, before collapsing into the pillow and back into unconsciousness.

*****

Hermione awoke with the feeling that she'd slept for at least two days.She was weak and starving, and the hospital wing seemed empty.The window opened to the Hogwarts grounds, but the sky outside was velvet-black.

She struggled to sit up, then stand, then walk.She got as far as the next bed before collapsing into a chair next to it.

Ron lay in that bed.Most of his bruises had been healed, but a few remained.Those that might have caused a concussion or ruptured organs had to be dealt with slowly and carefully.

Hermione sobbed."Oh, Ron, this is all my fault!"His eyes were closed, his face unresponsive."Why did I run out?I couldn't bring myself to say…but why?I was mad, but God, I can't remember why!"

Tears rolled down her face."He dragged me down that alley.Said they didn't want a-a _mudblood_ Head Girl."She stopped to try to gain control of her sobbing."It hurt so much, I can't even remember much…then you came.They took your wand, but you still fought!"The sobbing started again."Oh, Ron!They could have killed me!I thought it was all over, then you came…" She leaned down, close to Ron."If anything happens to you…what I'm trying to say…Ron, Je t'adore!"

Suddenly, Ron sat up and kissed her on the lips."Hermione, I'm crazy about you, too!"

_AN:This story was created as a result of a month-long lack of books.Neurons began firing at random in my brain, and took the form of this fan fiction.Also, part of it was written after midnight.So, if in writing this, I accidentally used an idea of another author, my sincere apologies, it was unintentional, don't blame me, blame my neurons!!_

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_Asking you to review is probably just fishing for compliments, but it's my first fic, so please humor me?_


	2. Just Friends

The Ball

**I Like You, I Love You, I Hate You**

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_A/N: All right, here it is: the second chapter.We find out why I didn't make Chapter 1 into a H/G thing.Yes, there is a specific reason.A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys and girls really made my day! __J___

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_This chapter is dedicated to Auror5, who once asked (about "Je T'Adore"), "Will there be a sequel?"At first, I thought "how on Earth could I write a sequel?"So I stayed up half the night contemplating that, and wound up with this!_

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_Disclaimer:All characters, places, ideas, and everything else Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.The two poem verses are from "To the Not Impossible Him" by Edna St. Vincent Millay from A Few Figs From Thistles._

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**CHAPTER 2:**

Just Friends

By Booklovr****

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"So, Harry," said Ron."Asked anyone to the Yule Ball yet?"

Er, no," said Harry, shifting uncomfortably.

They were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, working on a Divination assignment.At least, they had their Divination books open and were writing interpretations of dreams.Harry had never actually dreamed anything he had written about, but that didn't matter.Professor Trelawney would believe anything that predicted pain, misery, and death.But, after four and a half years of it, Harry could say that if faking Divination homework were an art form, he and Ron would be like Leonardo da Vinci and…some other famous artist.Harry didn't actually know any.

"So," said Harry, "now the cockatiel lands on my head, slowly turning into a…porpoise."

"What does that symbolize?" asked Ron.

"Hmmm…A close friend will betray my trust and as a result I will drown.Slowly.And I will come up for air several times only to be drawn immediately back down."

"Nice touch with the drowning, but I did a betrayal last month."

"Yes, but that was by a dog carrying a nail file.Trelawney'll never notice the similarity."

"Well, anyway, why haven't you asked anyone yet?The ball is next week!" Ron continued the previous conversation.

Harry was annoyed that his attempt to change the subject had failed."Well, um, there's no dateless girls left in our year."

"None?" demanded a skeptical Ron.

"Well, a few Slytherins, but I think I'll skip asking them."

Ron shook his head with an "I expected better from you" expression.

"I haven't seen you ask anyone," said Harry lamely.

"Don't need to," said Ron with a proud grin."I'm going with Hermione."

Hermione's head appeared from behind a pile of books at a nearby table."Oh, really?" she said sarcastically."I didn't know that!"  
Ron's smile faded."What do you mean?"

"Well," sniffed Hermione, "you never asked."

"I assumed that, since we've been seeing each other for two months, we'd be going together." Ron tried to speak logically, though there was a touch of anger in his voice.

"Oh, really?" said Hermione."You _assumed_?"

"Well, I thought it was a pretty safe assumption!" snapped Ron.

"Did you?"Hermione was pretty angry by now."Well, don't just 'assume' with me!I might have had plans!I might have been going home for Christmas!I might have already been asked by someone else!"

"WHAT?!" demanded Ron, red with fury.

"Can one of you give me a hand with this History of Magic project?" Ginny spoke up from a nearby chair.

"Scram," snapped Ron, though he didn't take his eyes off Hermione.

"Sure," said Harry, getting up."But you'll need, um, more research from the library." He and Ginny practically ran to the portrait hole as Ron and Hermione erupted again.

When they were safely down the hall, Harry turned suddenly to Ginny. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"There was nothing Harry hated more than getting in the middle of one of Ron and Hermione's fights!He hated to take sides, but if he didn't, they would just both get mad at him."I owe you big.Again."

"No sweat" Ginny sighed."You know, the two of them fight about ten times a week."

"I know," said Harry."They've really softened up lately, but the actual fighting is probably worse than ever!"

"Gee," said Ginny teasingly, "too bad we couldn't stay.This one was just getting interesting."

"Urgh, I bet you Viktor gets brought up.The worst fights always seem to involve him."

Over the past two and a half months, watching Ron and Hermione fight had become a popular form of entertainment in Gryffindor.Some students were attempting to keep score, and a few first years were once caught betting on who would win an argument.

"So," said Harry as they walked, "got a date for the Yule Ball?"

"Nope.You?"

"I didn't think I should," Harry confessed."I technically never broke up with Cho."

"But _technically_, you're not still seeing her."

"Well, 'technically,' I can't seeing how she's in South America.Plus, we're still writing, so _technically_ it's a long-distance, serious relationship."Harry sighed."I don't know why she couldn't get a job in England."

"She wanted to travel," Ginny reminded him."And I didn't hear you trying to stop her back in June!"

"I was trying to be supportive," said Harry."That was a pretty stupid idea, wasn't it?"

"Going to South America, or being supportive?"

"Both."

"Yep."They had reached the library by now, but as they started to go in, Colin suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"Ginny!" he said."I've been looking for you!"He wore a grin of great triumph."So, I hear you don't have a date for the Ball yet?"

Ginny turned white, and her mouth hung open."Um, actually, Colin, I'm, uh, going with someone already…"

"Oh, really?" Colin didn't seem to believe her."Who?"

Ginny had no idea what to say.Her eyes darted as she tried to think of a way out.

"Oh," said Harry calmly."She's going with me."Now Ginny's ears, and a good part of her face, were as red as her hair.

"Oh.Um, yeah," she stammered."S-sorry, Colin.M-maybe, uh, next time?"Then she realized what she'd just said."Or not!Yeah, that, uh, gotta go!Research!" And she rushed into the library.

"I didn't know you were going together," said Colin, too amazed to be suspicious.

"Oh, yeah," said Harry casually."We're just going as friends, though.Because neither of us had a date."He tried to look sincere."I wouldn't have asked her if I'd known _you_ wanted to take her!"This was probably a bad thing to say.Colin looked on the verge of asking if Harry would change his mind."Hey, uh, you might want to run to the common room.Ron and Hermione are fighting again, so you'll have to hurry if you want a good seat!"It was a stupid distraction, but it worked.As Colin rushed off, Harry went to find Ginny.

She sat behind a stack of books, still blushing slightly."Thanks," she whispered.

"No problem," Harry whispered back."And, hey, now we both have dates!"

"Boy, you surprised me though.For a minute, I felt like I was ten years old again!"

Harry chuckled, remembering how she had had a huge crush on him back then.As he and Ginny dove into the books, however, his mind wandered to Cho Chang, who was now hiking through the South American rain forest, doing some research with three young men.He felt it was time to send her another owl.

***

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_"Dear Harry,_

_"Hello!We've finally found a town along this river.It's not quite London, but even a little port is a good change from the rain forest.After three weeks of searching for some sign of ancient Magical civilization, we have found that…it must be further up the river._

_"Perhaps we shouldn't write to each other so often.I only mean that your owl always looks so exhausted when she gets here!And I can't carry her around the forest, so I have to send her right back.She nearly bites me every time!_

_"So, you say you're going to the ball with Ron's little sister?You mean that pretty little red head, Ginny?When Todd heard (you remember Todd, the 'leader' of out little group?The tall one, with the blond hair), he told me I should be jealous, but I told him I trust you like you trust me.You wouldn't break that trust, would you?_

_"Oh, I must tell you this!I 'adopted' a young chimpanzee at the last town we stopped at.The man who sold him to us said he had a name, but I think it was Brazilian…its hard to say, and harder to write!So, we just call him the Chimp._

_"So, your next Quidditch match is against Ravenclaw?You'll have to tell me how that turns out!I wonder if my replacement is any good?Though I'm sure it won't be the same for you without me practically riding your broomtail!Good luck, but I'm sure Ravenclaw will win._

_"I have to go now.We head into the forest again tomorrow, so I must turn in early.And it may take me a few hours to convince Hedwig to take this letter!I will see you soon, I hope.Merry Christmas!! (If Hedwig can deliver this before then!)_

_"Love,_

_"Cho."_

***

Harry read this letter a few hours before the Yule Ball.Hedwig, having delivered the letter in time, now strongly reassembled the Weasley's owl, Errol.

The Yule Ball began at eight.At six, Harry beat Ginny in a game of wizard chess, and she had gone upstairs to get ready.At seven, Ron finally won what had turned into a four-hour chess tournament.At seven-thirty, they were in their dress robes.Harry, in his deep green robe, was attempting to flatten his hair.Ron (who kept up a commentary of "I can't believe you're going with my _sister_!I mean, _Ginny_!This goes beyond being desperate…" and so on) was attempting to put on his olive-colored robe.Unfortunately, he had grown (again) and the robe was too short.In the end, he discovered that a carefully timed Engorgement Charm could be used to lengthen it.And that a careful Reversal Charm was then needed to shorten it again, for the Engorgement Charm had made it too big.And that magic is not a very good substitute for sewing.

"Ready to go?" Ron asked, when the robe finally fit.

"Yeah," said Harry, giving up on his hair.

They marched down to the common room to meet their girls.Hermione (who did not have other plans, nor another date) looked as she often did for the ball, which was nothing like her usual self.She wore a light blue dress robes and half of her usually bushy hair was smoothed into a bun, while the other half fell graceful down her back.Ginny, on the other hand, wore a golden-yellow robe and her usually straight hair was thick with curls that were gathered at the back of her head.

Ron sighed."Why is it they always look so much better than us?"Harry just shook his head.

***

There were downsides to going to the ball with the Head Girl.For one thing, Ron had to sit with the Prefects.Ron always felt kind of stupid around Prefects.Even when they weren't talking about themselves (which wasn't often), Ron felt inferior.His grades were only so-so, at best.He seemed to be allowed only one interesting event per year, and they all got old pretty fast.No one really wanted to hear how Ron had been almost killed by Sirius Black in his third year (actually, Sirius had been trying to kill his rat…), or how he had been brought underwater by mermen his fourth year.And this year's "interesting event" had already become old news._Well_, he thought as he grinned at Hermione, _it was worth it, at least._

Harry, on the other hand, was having the time of his life.He and Ginny were sitting with friends, discussing Quidditch.Several members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team sat at their table, and several members of the Ravenclaw team sat at the next table.Both tables were eavesdropping on each other, hoping to learn what strategies the other would use at the next match.When this got boring, Harry's table began "practicing" Quidditch by throwing grapes ("Quaffles") into each other's mouths.Harry thought that it must be better to go to the ball with a friend than with a date.He didn't have to worry about being on his best behavior, or about dancing afterwards.

When the eating (and grape-throwing) portion of the ball had finished, Professor Dumbledore cleared away the tables with a sweep of his wand.Once again, Dumbledore had managed to arrange for a popular wizarding band to play, a group called Strange Magic.A group of three wizards and two witches appeared on a platform in the corner and began playing a slow song.The Prefects and Head Girl (there was no longer a Head Boy, of course) and their dates were to dance the first number.Ron did not look very happy about this.He was very focused on not stepping on Hermione's feet.

"I feel sorry for those couples," commented Harry."Bad enough if you can't dance; worse when the entire school sees it."

"So dancing's out of the question tonight," said Ginny.She wasn't disappointed or hopeful, just stating a fact.

"Definitely," said Harry."Your feet don't need a thrashing."

"Oh, you can't be _that_ bad.You danced with Cho last year."

"Yup, and she had to wear extra socks to cushion her feet."

They spent a good part of the night drinking butterbeer and talking about all kinds of things.Ron and Hermione joined them, for a little while.But Hermione kept bringing Ron back onto the dance floor.Once or twice, Harry caught Ginny gazing longingly at the dancers.

"Uh-oh," murmured Ginny, suddenly."Colin Creevey, twelve o'clock."

Harry squinted."Actually, I'd say that's more like twelve-thirty."

"Very funny.Either way, he's coming."

"Let's discreetly head outside."

"Good idea."

The Hogwarts grounds were all decorated for the Yule Ball.Statues, fountains, benches, rosebushes of all colors.The sky was overcast, but it was quite warm, for December, and the paths were lit by fairy lights.It looked, Harry remembered, a lot like it had the year before, when he had come with Cho.For several minutes, Harry and Ginny walked in silence, each deep within his or her own thoughts.

Ginny sighed."It looks like rain.And I _do_ love a white Christmas."

"Rain.Ooh, now _there_'s a tragedy," snapped Harry.

Some of Ginny's curls had fallen around her ears, so Harry couldn't tell if they were red."I'm sorry.I…"

"No, I'm sorry.I shouldn't have snapped."He paused in thought."You know, my first 'date' with Cho was the Yule Ball last year."

Ginny ventured a guess."You heard from Cho today?"

Harry nodded."It's just…I haven't seen her since June.And I've seen a picture of those guys she's out there with!"

Ginny grinned."Ooh, is the great Harry Potter jealous?"She giggled slightly."Don't worry.I know she wouldn't cheat on you."

Harry raised an eyebrow."Oh, really?You _know_?You don't even know Cho that well.How do you 'know' what she's thinking?

Ginny winked."It's a trade secret."

"Well, I'm not really afraid she's cheating.It's just…we've been apart a while.Maybe she's…fallen out of love."

"Well, they say 'absence makes the heart grow fonder.'"

"They say a lot of other things, too."

"Like what?"

"Like, 'out of sight, out of mind,' or 'all good things must come to an end,' and 'everything changes.'"Harry was silent for a minute."Before Cho left, I asked her why she wanted to travel so badly.She answered with a stanza from a poem.

_'How shall I know, unless I go_

_'To Cairo and Cathay,_

_'Whether or not this blessed spot_

_'Is blest in every way?'_

Harry chuckled."I thought she wrote it herself.But she didn't; I found the rest of it over the summer.It's the last stanza that really bugs me:

_'The fabric of my faithful love_

_'No power shall dim or ravel_

_'Whilst I stay here,--but, oh, my dear,_

_'If I should ever travel!'"_

Ginny laughed."You're so paranoid, Harry!And you actually memorized that?I don't believe you!"She shook her head."Listen.Cho will not 'fall out of love.'She's not an idiot!You're a great guy-" Harry started to interrupt."No, let me finish, or I'll never say this.I know you as a friend, and as a girl who used to have a crush on you.Majorly."She shook her head again, turning somewhat pink."Like I said, you're a great guy.You're the kind of guy every girl would want for a boy friend, or even just a friend.And not just because you are _the_ famous Harry Potter.You're smart, fun to be around, friendly, unselfish, athletic, cute…" She turned quite red now."Basically, you're everything a girl could want.Except a great dancer."She grinned slightly, and the red faded away."Um, anyway, what I'm trying to say is, Cho is probably the luckiest girl in the world, and she knows it.She wouldn't forget you just because she's out there with a bunch of guys.Trust me, you are _not_ that forgettable.I bet she's more worried that _you_ will forget _her_.Ummm…anyway, that's it."

Harry raised an eyebrow."How long have you been wanting to say that?"

"Since the first time you wore that look."

"What look?"

"The 'oh, woe is me, nobody loves me' look."

"I do not have a 'nobody loves me' look!"

"You want a mirror?You've been wearing it most of the year.Half the time I see you like that, I want to hit you for being so stupid.The other half, I want to hit Cho for making you feel that way.But it's not true.That nobody loves you.That's not true."By, now, Ginny's ears were as red as her hair.But Harry couldn't see this, because of the curls (for which Ginny was quite thankful).

They walked for a moment in silence."You know," said Harry, turning and looking deep into her brown eyes."I think—"

But what he thought at that minute he never said.Just then, the clouds opened and rain poured down on them."Run!" Ginny shrieked.By the time they got back inside, they were both thoroughly soaked, and laughing their heads off.

"Oh, we can't go back to the ball like this!"Harry said.A puddle was quickly forming where they stood.

"Let's get to the Common Room, before Filch sees us," Ginny advised.As they headed towards Gryffindor Tower, she asked "So, you were about to say…?"

"Oh, just you were right about…stuff."He turned and looked at her, and if Ginny had thought there was something different about how he had looked outside, she didn't think so know; he looked at her much the same way he always had."Anyway, I'm going to write to Cho.Send a school owl, or else Hedwig will kill me."Harry chuckled."I think _she_ was jealous that I took you to the ball!"

"Jealous?Of little old me?"Ginny looked at him with the most innocent face she could muster.

Harry laughed."Yeah, nothing for her to worry about.As long as we stay just friends."

She looked down a second, then looked at Harry and grinned, holding out her hand."No problem," and they shook on it."Come on, last one to the Common Room has to pick up all the balls after Quidditch practice for a month!"

_ _

_A/N: Ha!Didn't expect that, did you?If I copied anyone here, then wow, great minds must really think alike!Ok, I'll post the next chapter as soon as it gets typed and edited and all that.Coming up: A really big fight, resulting in Ron getting a life._

_ _

_Professor Zodiac: Yeah, I posted Je T'Adore before at HL, but this is the slightly revised edition, with chapters and everything!_

_ _

_Rebekah: You mean they were "tres stupides quand ils ne sachent pas" what Je t'adore means?I suppose so, but then that's not a phrase the average tourist uses…_

_ _

_Thanks again to all the reviewers!I'm not going to ask anyone to please review, but that little box down there isn't just for decoration._


	3. Just a Game

A/N: It's me again

**I Like You, I Love You, I Hate You**

A/N: It's me again!Thanks again to all my wonderful reviewers.I have to say, before I start, that I've never been on a sport team, and especially not a Quidditch team, so I'm just kind of guessing on how all this stuff works.Don't flame me based on my ignorance!

This chapter is dedicated to my friends, with whom I've made fun of musicals on countless occasions, but still let me drag them (sometimes literally) into the Theater Guild every year.Yeah, my inspiration comes from the strangest places…

_Disclaimer:All characters, places, ideas, and everything else Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.The song belongs to me, but I'll deny that under oath. _

**Chapter 3:**

Just A Game By Booklovr 

It was the beginning of February, and the Gryffindor Quidditch team was training hard.The entire team was on the field this day—seven players and four reserves.Only Harry, as Team Captain, was not training.He was taking notes as his teammates flew around the field.The next game was in the middle of March, and his team needed plenty of work.Harry winced as he saw Ron miss another Bludger.This made twelve in the past half hour._Nobody's perfect_, Harry reminded himself._But this is bad_, he thought, flipping through the notes from the past few practices.Harry shook his head._Really, really bad._

It was getting dark, so he called an end to the practice.As the other team members landed and marched into the locker room, Harry flew over to Madame Hooch to compare notes.Besides that, what he had in mind required permission from her, as the Quidditch coach and referee.

"Hey, Ron, can I talk to you for a minute?" asked Harry as the team headed back to the castle a few minutes later.

"Sure," said Ron, stopping at the locker room door.

Harry gulped, dreading what he was about to say."Ron…do you know how many Bludgers you missed today?"

Ron shrugged."Three…four…?"

Harry took a deep breath."Twelve."

Ron chuckled."Yeah, well, who's counting?"

Harry gave him a serious look, and Ron's smile faded."Look, Ron," Harry said, staring directly at his notes, not looking up."I know we both want Gryffindor to win the Quidditch cup—but that's not why I'm—I mean, Quidditch is supposed to be about having fun, not winning but—there are…certain…standards—and Madame Hooch agrees.Quidditch just…isn't your…forte."

Ron's face was getting more and more incredulous as Harry went.Finally, he said, "So that's it?You're cutting me from the team?"

Harry glanced at Ron's face.It was beet red, and held an expression so angry it was almost murderous."Ron, I'm sorry, but—"

"So I'm no good, is that it?I'm slowing you down, so you toss me overboard?We're best friends!Doesn't that count for anything?"Harry was sure Ron had said the exact opposite when Ginny had made the team, but he didn't say anything."Wasn't I good enough to get on the team last year?Are you saying I'm not as good as Fred or George?" Harry had had nothing to do with Ron getting on the team, and didn't know what Oliver Wood's standards had been for Fred and George, but he still held his tongue."And Ginny!You let her on!You think she's better than me, don't you?"

"Hey," Harry interrupted."She's a Chaser.You're a Beater.There's no comparison between the two."Harry had yet to learn the depth and illogic of Sibling Rivalry.

"Oh, sure," shouted Ron."You say that!You know what I think?I think you like Ginny more than you like me!Well, fine._She_ can be your best friend!She's already your girlfriend!"

"She is NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!!!" Harry practically screamed.

"Oh, no, Cho Chang is," sneered Ron."I'm sooo sure.After all, you only went to the Ball with Ginny—"

"As _FRIENDS_!"

"And where was Cho?Darling Cho, out there in the rain forest with all those older guys, doing 'research'!"

Harry had known that Ron would be angry, but this was too much.Harry grabbed Ron's robes, and the two of them fought.A few minutes later they broke apart, Harry with a black eye, and Ron with a bloody lip.

"Get out of here!" shouted Harry.

"Gladly!" screamed Ron, and he slammed the door on his way out.

***

Ginny had been waiting for the boys nearby.When Ron came out, he shot her a look that made her decide not to ask him what happened.Instead, she headed into the locker room.

"Harry?" she called.

He was sitting on a bench, his notebook forgotten on the floor.He didn't look up, or answer her.

Meanwhile, Ron marched across the grounds and stormed into the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Ron!" gasped Hermione, pulling him to a chair and looking at his lip."Who have you been fighting?"

"Harry," he muttered angrily.

"Harry?Why? What happened?" Hermione demanded.

"I had to cut Ron from the team," Harry finally confessed to Ginny."And he took it…bad."

"What?" said Ginny."Why did you…?"

"Because he's an idiot and all he wants is to win!" accused Ron to Hermione.

"Oh, be fair!" said Hermione."Try to see his side."

"And what would that be?" demanded Ron.

"He really stinks at Quidditch," Harry said."I mean, I can make allowances, but if he performed this way last year, I just don't see how he even made the team!"

"I worked hard to get on that team!" moaned Ron."So maybe I was a little better at tryouts than I've been since, but I just don't perform best at practice!"

"What about the games?" asked Hermione.

"I do fine in games!" he insisted.

"We nearly lost the last game!" shouted Harry."Two of our Chasers were injured by Bludgers _he_ missed!"Harry picked up his notebook and began flipping through."Two broken bones!Four injuries less serious!Eight, if you count practices.He misses half the Bludgers that come his way!"

"He just wants to win so bad, he throws me off for missing a few Bludgers," Ron insisted.

"And this is what you two fought over?" asked Ginny.

"Well…yeah," said Harry.

"Did I need a better reason?" demanded Ron.

Ginny shook her head."Boys."

Hermione rolled her eyes."So immature."

"_He_ started it!" shouted Ron and Harry, at the same time.

***

"Well," said Hermione as she finished the Charm that healed Ron's lip."You needn't be so upset—it's not the end of the world."

Ron looked at her as if she was a lunatic."Hermione.I was just thrown off the Quidditch team."

"Really?I wasn't aware," she said dryly, as she checked him for bruises.Satisfied, she looked in his face."There _is_ a world beyond Quidditch.Just get another hobby."

"Like what?"

"There are lots of things!I don't think you even know any of the other activities and clubs you can join."

Ron just stared blankly."Like.What."

"I don't know!Foreign languages club?Theater?Art?Music?Reading?And there's one for every class—"

"The Transfiguration Team?" Ron sneered.

Hermione threw her hands into the air."Did you even know I'm a member of the Charms Club?Did you even know I've been in Charms Competitions for the last year and a half?"

"Charms Competitions?"

"We beat Slytherin in a Competition last week!Where do you think I've been earning all those points from?"

"Umm, good test scores?"

Hermione clenched her jaw and fists, squeezing her eyes shut, slowly counting to ten.Then she relaxed."Ok.Fine.I'll get you a list of school activities.Now, I want you to sign up for one, ok?"

"Whatever," muttered Ron, dejectedly.

***

Alone in the Common Room that night, Ron looked over the list."What kind of dragon dung is this?" he muttered to himself.He'd already scratched off the book club—he didn't like the idea of reading a book a month—the art club—he couldn't draw—and all the class-based groups—he wasn't good in any classes.He then proceeded to draw Quidditch players on broomsticks all over the parchment.There was nothing on the list that particularly interested him.In fact, there was very little at all that interested Ron, just Quidditch and chess, really.Once, in his fifth year, some teachers had tried to form a Chess Club.Ron had gone to the tryouts, but only three students (including himself) would have made it in, so the entire project was thrown out.A pity, since Ron had later played against the other two, and won both times.Still, there were a few things on the list he might consider doing: Musical Theater, School Band, Debate Team, maybe a few others, but—

"What are you doing up?"Ron turned around.Ginny stood at the bottom of the girls' staircase.He just stared at her as she walked over to him."Ron, I heard you got cut from the team.I'm sorry—"­

Ron stood up and shoved her aside.Without speaking to her, he stormed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

Bewildered, Ginny stared after him."What did I say?"

***

It was day, and Ron was walking across a dark, empty room.All the light seemed to shine directly on him.There was a very faint noise, but Ron was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to really listen."No one understands," said Ron.Though he was talking to himself, his voice came out loud and clear."It's just Quidditch, they say.Am I the only one who doesn't see it this way?To me, Quidditch is…a way to make my name.To everyone else, it's just a sport or game."

Suddenly, the noise he'd been hearing swelled up loudly, and he realized it was music being played quite nearby.At the same time, the dark wall behind Ron suddenly rose straight into the air.The room was filled with light, and all behind Ron were rows of people in bright robes with big smiles.

"A way to make your name?

"It's your life, you claim!

"Well, you sound quite lame,

"Quidditch is just a game!"

The people sang and danced behind Ron, who tried desperately to figure out how they'd gotten there.As he turned to leave, he found his way blocked by Harry, who also began to sing:

"To be a Quidditch player,

"You've got to know your stuff!

"You hit just half the Bludgers—

"That isn't good enough!

"I'll have to let you go, then,

"This sport shouldn't be your aim…

"You're no good, Ron,

"But, hey, it's just a game!"

As the people in the back took up the chorus, Ron turned the other way, only to find Hermione, who also sang:

"I never have played Quidditch,

"It matters not to me.

"Chasing balls and flying broomsticks—

"How important can it be?

"Pick any other hobby,

"It should feel the same.

"Life is studies,

"The rest is just a game!"

Again the chorus rang in his ears, and Ron tried to run forward, but an invisible wall blocked his way.Turning back towards the other people, he saw Ginny, wearing a look of false sympathy.She, too, sang:

"You could never be a Head Boy,

"Your grades are oh-so bad.

"And now you're off the team

"It's really very sad.

"The youngest of the brothers,

"The one who gets no fame.

"Don't fret, Ronny,

"You know, it's just a game!"

As the chorus was sung yet again, Ron slowly backed towards the singers while Harry, Hermione, and Ginny walked towards him.

"More than a hundred Quidditch players

"In the Weasley family tree.

"Thirty more were Head Boys—

"But you're neither one, you see.

"You're nothing, little Ronny,

"You don't deserve your name!

"But cheer up, now…

"Quidditch is just a game!"

Ron sat up in bed with a loud gasp.He shook his head to clear away the last remnants of the dream.Then he grabbed the list and scratched off "Musical Theater."

***

"You scratched it off your list because of a bad dream?" demanded Hermione.

"Hey," said Ron defensively, "this musical stuff is scary."

"But the song wasn't even that good," she pressed.

"Yeah, that's why I scratched off 'Poetry Club,' too."

"You'll never join anything at this rate," she said worriedly.

"Well, maybe I don't _want_ to join anything!" he shouted.

"Fine then!You can just—" Something in his face made her stop."There was something else in your dream, wasn't there?"

"No, there wasn't!"Ron averted his eyes.

"Yes, there was."Hermione thought hard."What was all that stuff about your name?"

"It was just a bad dream," Ron insisted.

"Hey, you just said it _wasn't_," Hermione pointed out.

Ron turned to leave."Forget about it," he muttered.

Hermione jumped into his face."Ron.You have been sulking around the Common Room for almost two days straight.You still won't talk to Harry.There is _some_thing up with you.So tell me: why are you so depressed?It's just Quidditch—"

"It's NOT 'just Quidditch'!My entire family has played Quidditch here!"

"Oh, Ron, just because your brothers—"

"No, to just my brothers.My dad, my cousins, my uncles—nearly every male Weasley to attend Hogwarts has been on the Quidditch team, even as only a reserve player.And the ones who weren't on the Quidditch team, almost all of them were Head Boy!And I—" his voice suddenly dropped to a whisper, "—I'm neither."

Hermione shook her head."So that's it, huh?If you're not a Quidditch player, and you're not Head Boy, you're not a Weasley?"She had thought that boys could be pathetic, but this was an all time low."Look, you always wanted to stand out beside your brothers, right?I'll tell you one thing, it's not going to happen if you try to do all the things they did.It will happed," and she pushed the list at him again, "by you doing something none of them have ever done before.Find out what _you_ are good at."

Ron sighed and looked at the list once again."Debate team?School band?School newspaper?"He shook his head."I'm not good at _anything_."

***

A month passed, and still Ron found nothing.He couldn't draw.He couldn't carry a tune.In the Debate Team tryouts, he ran out of words and wound up in a wizard's duel with his opponent.At Dueling Club auditions, he threw aside his wand and got into a fistfight with his partner.He even broke down and dropped in on a Charms Competition, but left when he discovered that many of the Charms were performed on spiders.And the newspaper was out as soon as he discovered Colin Creevey was the paper's photographer.Eventually, a line was drawn through everything on the list.

The next Quidditch game was now two weeks away, and the closer it got, the more depressed Ron became.He refused to talk to Harry or Ginny (much to Ginny's continued bewilderment) and got into several fights with Hermione, though they always managed to make up again.Ron tried to return to the way life had been before Quidditch, but he could hardly remember how.There was a gaping hole in his life where Quidditch had been, and nothing could quite fill it.

On the first Saturday of March, there was a trip to Hogsmeade.Ginny came into the Common Room that morning to find Ron staring blankly at the wall."Ron?"He barely moved."Ron?"She stood in front of him waving her arms."Ro-on?Hey, Ron!" she finally shouted.With a jerk, Ron sat up."Aren't you coming to Hogsmeade?" she asked.

"Oh, leave me alone!" he muttered.

"Come on, it'll do you some good."He just glared at her."Please?We can get Butterbeer, buy a whole lot of sweets, and get totally sick!And Quality Quidditch Supplies opened a branch store here, so we can go check out—"

"GO AWAY!" he shouted."Can't you take a hint?I don't want to talk to you!Leave!Scram!Get lost!And don't talk to me again!Ever!"And he turned back to the wall.

Ginny ran across the Common Room and collapsed behind a chair, nearly in tears.She and her brothers fought all the time, and she probably fought with Ron more than any of the others, but it was always for a reason.Like the time Ron accidentally transfigured her favorite shoes into frogs, or the time Ginny lost the Weasley family Quaffle while playing Quidditch.Now, for no apparent reason, Ron hated her, didn't even want to talk to her.As Ginny sobbed, she heard someone move in the chair behind her.

_Great_, she thought._Just my luck—not even an empty chair._

"Ginny?Are you alright?" asked a familiar voice.

_Perfect,_ thought Ginny._Of all the chairs in the Common Room, I hide behind the one Harry's in._Now she would really look pathetic.

Harry walked around and sat next to her."What's wrong?"

"Ron hates me."She tried to say it matter-of-factly, but her voice was a squeak, and she sobbed again."And I don't know why."

This was too much for Harry.First, Ron gets mad at _him_ because _Ron _can't play Quidditch.Then, he insults Harry's girlfriend, and now he was taking it out on Ginny.Harry fought the urge to give Ron another bloody lip.Instead, he said to Ginny, "He's probably just still upset about Quidditch.He'll get over it."Ginny still looked miserable."Come on, let's go to Hogsmeade.Butterbeer's on me."

She gave him what she was sure was a pretty pathetic smile."Sure.Why not?"

Meanwhile, Ron was still sitting on the other side of the room.If there was any kind of award for sulking, Ron seemed quite determined to earn it.

Hermione came into the room and sat next to him."Hey.What are you doing today?"

"I plan to sit here.I'm quite comfortable," he huffed.

"Well, I'm going to a meeting of the Charms Club—" she started.

"Don't even think of it.I'm not going anywhere near _that_ club again."

Hermione scowled."Did you sign up for anything yet?"

"No, and I'm not going to.There's nothing left on the list."

Her scowl deepened."Are you going to Hogsmeade?"

"I already told you, I'm staying here!"

Hermione stood up."Ron, you are _pathetic_!As your Head Girl, your girlfriend, and a bossy know-it-all, I'm _ordering_ you to go to Hogsmeade today, and GET A LIFE!"Ron just sat there staring at her."Well?Get going!"

Ron, for once honestly afraid of her, got up and ran to the door.

*** 

He really didn't want to be in Hogsmeade.Ron tried to avoid Harry and Ginny while staying away from the Quidditch store, his brothers' store, or pretty much anything else that reminded him of Quidditch.This left him very few places he could go, but after some wandering, Ron found a small, almost Muggle-style park.On one side was a Quidditch pitch (though, thankfully, Ron saw no one playing there) and there were trees and grass, toy brooms tethered to a pole for little kids to play on, and self-moving swings, as well as a slide and seesaw which (as far as Ron could tell) used no magic at all.

As Ron was wandering around, he saw a little boy, about nine, sitting under a tree with a chessboard in front of him.Something made Ron slow down to get a closer look.The boy was playing chess, but no one was moving the black pieces.Chess pieces, Ron knew, could only move when told to, but the boy didn't seem to be controlling both colors.

Trying to be discreet, Ron walked up to the boy.He couldn't see anyone on the other side of the board.Maybe an invisible person?Ron walked casually past, stepping where the other person should be.There was definitely no one else there.Ron watched in amazement as the boy ordered the white pieces to move, and then watched the others move on their own.

The boy must have noticed Ron watching, because he looked up with a grin."Hello.I'm Marvin.Who're you?"

"Uh, I'm Ron.Who…who are you playing against?"

"My brother, Patrick," Marvin explained as if it were perfectly normal."He works for the Ministry, but he plays with me during his lunch hour."

Ron continued to stare at the pieced."Um…how…?"

Marvin grinned again."It's called the Correspondence Charm.So when I move my pieces, the ones in front of Pat move, and when Pat moves, these guys do."

"I've never heard of the Correspondence Charm."

"It's a really hard one.Can only do it if you're real good at Charms."Marvin sighed."I'll never be as good or smart as Pat."

Ron was only half listening."You just gave me an idea," Ron said slowly.Then he grinned and shook Marvin's hand hard."Thank you!You're a genius!"

Ron ran off without looking back.Slowly, Marvin's grin grew until he was positively beaming."Wow, wait till Pat hears this!I'm a genius!"

***

Back in Hogsmeade, Harry and Ginny were drinking Butterbeer.Ginny had cheered up a little, but Harry had grown very thoughtful.

"What's the matter?" Ginny asked."Worried about Quidditch?"

"Not really," Harry said.He looked at Ginny, trying to decide what to say."You sure you want to hear this?"

Ginny grinned and gulped some Butterbeer."I'm ready for anything you want to throw at me."

Harry lowered his voice."I'm worried because it's already March and nothing's…happened."

Ginny raised her eyebrows."Lots has happened," she countered.

"Well, yeah, but…I mean…."

"No subtle yet complex plans involving You-Know-Who taking over the world for you to discover, interfere with, and nearly get killed stopping?Or just no attempts on your life?"

Harry grinned incredulously."Well, both, really.How'd you guess?"

Ginny smiled sadly."I'm a little worried about the same thing, to tell the truth."

"So, I'm not crazy?"

"No, you're crazy," Ginny assured him."But I am, too."

Harry sighed and raised his glass."To complete insanity."

Ginny toasted him."To complete insanity!"

He sighed."I'm just worried that…the longer something takes to happen, the worse it'll be when it does.I mean something big usually happens by Halloween!"He shook his head slowly."I'll never have a normal life."

Ginny touched his shoulder and tried to look encouraging."Well, who wants normal, anyway?"

Harry looked at her and gave a little chuckle."Maybe…I don't know…Cho used to say that at some point I would run out of bad things to happen to me, and then my life would start being somewhat normal."

Ginny sighed."Do you want me to be perfectly honest with you?"

Harry hesitated, and then gave her a small ironic smile."I'm ready for anything you want to throw at me."

"I don't think that's ever going to happen.You are Harry Potter, after all.Bad stuff just follows you around."

"Sometimes," Harry sighed, "I can't even understand why people would want to be around me.Even sitting at the same table as me is putting your life at risk."He looked at Ginny as if he expected her to get up and leave.

"Oh, Harry, you never learn!In seven years, Hermione and Ron have never once complained about _that_!They care about some other things, but not that you're a walking magnet for evil conspiracies."Ginny chuckled."Certainly never bothered me."

Harry looked thoughtful."Cho minded.Not a lot, but I could tell it made her nervous."

"Well, that's understandable, after what happened to Cedric.But Cho will just have to get used to it.I mean it's not exactly something you can change!"

"I wish I could change it."

Ginny couldn't think of anything to say to that.

***

Ron breathlessly ran through Hogwarts to the Gryffindor Common Room.It was empty.After catching his breath, he headed, a little more slowly, towards the room where the Charms Club was practicing.

He rushed in the door, took one look around, and stepped back out.

"Ron?" Hermione called."Is that you?"

"Yeah," he called back."Can you come here for a minute?"

"Ron, I'm a little busy, can't you come in here?"

"No, I am _not_ going in back in there!"Whatever Charm they were working on had involved five-foot-long spiders.No way was he going through that door.

"Ron!"

"No!Either come out here, or at least hide those darn spiders!"

A minute later, "Alright, you can come in.They're gone."

Ron went into the room to see the Gryffindor Charms Club, all of whom were glaring at him like he'd cancelled Christmas.

"Hermione!I just got a wonderful idea for another club!"

"Ron, you came all the way up here, interrupted the meeting, ruined our Charm, just to—"

"Hang on!"Ron looked at the entire club, grinning."Have you guys ever heard of the Correspondence Charm?"

***

By the end of the week, all the major Witchcraft and Wizardry schools in Europe, and a few outside, had agreed with Ron's plan.After a very complex series of Correspondence Charms (which the Gryffindor Charms Club was happy to perform), the Ron Weasley International Chess Club was set up.Tryouts were held, and the Hogwarts Chess Team formed (there were only four members from the entire school).Letters were sent out, and schedules arranged.Ron played the first game of the Competition, against a chess player from Beauxbatons.Ron started by losing nearly all his pieces to his unseen opponent before an astonishing recovery and a checkmate involving his three remaining pieces.

The next day was the big Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw Quidditch match.Hermione convinced Ron to come and watch.At first, he refused to respond to anything, and sat as still as stone.But when a Ravenclaw Beater nearly unseated Ginny with a Bludger, no one in the crowed screamed as many insults as Ron.Hermione had to take his wand away to keep him from cursing the entire Ravenclaw team.And, of course, Ron cheered the loudest when Harry caught the Snitch in a 200 to 30 point Gryffindor victory.

After the game, Ron caught up with Harry and Ginny to congratulate them.

"I thought you didn't want to talk to us again," Ginny pointed out.

"Aw, I was just mad," Ron said."I really didn't mean it!"

"So you're not still mad at me over cutting you from the team?" Harry asked, almost afraid to mention it.

"Why would I be?" Ron demanded cheerfully."After all, it's just a game!"

Walking behind them, Hermione just rolled her eyes."Boys!"

_A/N: Wow, that's three chapters!This is farther than I ever planned to get.If anyone else has a story like this…yours is probably better.Thanks again to reviewers.Still ahead, Cho returns and we find out more about Hermione and Krum…yeah, it's all pretty sappy, too.Please don't make fun of my song, it was very late at night and I was feeling insomniac.I never would have written that fully conscious.I now command you all to forget it."Obliviate!"_

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_Snickers: Oh, keep reading!There's more to come about all that._

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_Starfishy: Je t'adore means, "I'm crazy about you," though a few online dictionaries have translated it "I adore you."_

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_Reviews encourage the author to write more, which encourages the readers to review more.It's just the Circle of Fan Fiction, and I have no effect over it, so I won't bother saying, "Please review!"Oops, I said it._


	4. Old Loves

I Like You, I Love You, I Hate You

I Like You, I Love You, I Hate You

A/N: Can you believe this is my fourth chapter?I sure can't!Thanks to the reviewers as usual, you guys keep me going!Be warned, we're getting into the really mushy part, it was mostly written well after midnight. Enjoy!

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_Normally, here I'd dedicate this chapter to whoever inspired it the most.But this chapter really came from nowhere, so I suppose I should thank God for this, as well as for the whole story in general.I hope that doesn't offend any atheists or people of other religions, but I have to give credit where it's due._

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_Disclaimer:All characters, places, ideas, and everything else Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros._

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**Chapter 4:**

Old Loves By Booklovr 

It was April—Easter Holidays, and a Hogsmeade weekend.Even Hermione had been convinced to leave off homework and studying for the day.At this moment, she was off with Ron somewhere, probably arguing, and Harry was sitting in the Three Broomsticks with Ginny, fighting a feeling of déjà vu.

"Don't worry," Ginny said, "I don't think the Peacekeepers will be dragging their bodies out of an alley this time."

Harry chuckled."I wasn't worried.Worked out pretty well last time, anyway."

Ginny laughed.She had never told Ron, but she thought what he'd done had been romantic and brave and heroic and…wonderful.She shook her head.That's all she needed, to get all sentimental about other people's love lives!Still, how many girls could say their boyfriend had saved their life?Hermione was very lucky.

Ginny watched Harry drink his Butterbeer.He had once saved her life, years ago.She never had figured out how to thank him.They had gotten to be good friends over the past year; since now that Ron and Hermione were a couple, Harry was odd man out.But Ginny was over him.Not the slightest romantic inclination.Totally just friends.

Just then, Harry looked up, and Ginny knew it was all dragon dung.The look of joy and happiness and love on Harry's face hit her like Cupid's arrow through her heart.The expression was as sweetly sickening as a bun from Cinnabon, and to truly describe it would involve more fluff then a twenty-foot marshmallow.More than anything in the world, Ginny wished she had put that expression on Harry's face, and that he was looking at her, not beyond her at the Three Broomsticks' window.Ginny knew who was standing there before Harry could even get his mouth open.

"Cho!" Harry shouted, getting up and running out, completely forgetting Ginny in his excitement.

Right.As she had been thinking, she was so over Harry, and very soon the fates would see fit to send her The One.

"Hey, Ginny," said Colin, grinning from ear to ear."Sitting here alone?Can I join you?"

The fates were very, very cruel.

***

"Cho!" Harry shouted, getting up and running out into the arms of his girlfriend.They hugged and kissed a little on the street, oblivious to the people nearby.

"I missed you!" Cho said.

"I missed you, too," Harry replied."When did you get back?"

"Just yesterday.I came up to Hogsmeade just to see you, but I didn't know where I'd find you."

"Oh, I'm easy to find.Either here, at school, or on the Quidditch pitch.So, did you have as much luck in South America as you did today?"Harry grinned.

Cho blinked."Finding…Oh, no, nothing.I get to go back in a few days to look some more.The team's taking a vacation, but we all have to Apparate back at the end of the week."She shrugged as if to say "that's life.""So what have you been up to?"

"Oh, you know, the usual.School, Quidditch.I was just having some Butterbeer with…Ginny!"Looking in the window, he could see the back of her head, and the chair he had sat in was not empty."Oh, no.Sorry, I gotta go save her from the crazed stalker.Any chance you can come to Hogwarts?"

Cho smiled."See you tomorrow on the Quidditch pitch."Harry kissed her cheek, then rushed into the Three Broomsticks to rescue Ginny from Colin.When he looked again, Cho was gone.

***

The next day, Harry waited for Cho on the Quidditch pitch.He was tossing around a Quaffle with Ginny to kill time while Ron and Hermione sat in the bleachers, playing chess.They argued less than they used to, but they still rarely agreed.Harry wondered how long they would last as a couple.Sometimes, they seemed so perfectly made for each other.Others…

Harry saw an approaching figure.He gave the Quaffle a last throw, which Ginny effortlessly caught."Thanks, see ya!" he shouted as he flew away.

"There he goes," said Ron."Won't see them all day, now."

"Oh, hurry up and move, I've got studying to do!" Hermione retorted.

"You and your studying!" Ron snapped.

_Here they go again_, thought Ginny.

Harry and Cho did spend the rest of the day together, walking and talking, or not talking, whichever was appropriate.They talked about everything they'd done the past year.Harry gave her all the details of the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw Quidditch match, and Cho showed him her pet chimpanzee.

"So," Cho said after a while, "what's up with you and Ginny?You seem to talk about her a lot."

"Oh, we're just friends," Harry assured her."Especially now, with Ron and Hermione being…whatever they are.And that whole Colin Creevey thing.He just walks the line between being persistent and being a stalker."Harry frowned, unsure if he could explain it.So he tried another approach."What's up with you and that Todd?You mention him a lot."

Cho got defensive."That's just because he's the head of our group.He's sort of in on everything that happens.We're just friends, nothing more."

Harry smiled."It's kind of like that with me and Ginny."Cho looked very thoughtful.

*** 

It was well after dark before Harry headed back to Gryffindor.Cho had promised to visit at least once more before she left again.

Harry sat in the empty Common Room with a lot on his mind.Cho would be leaving soon, again, and he didn't know what to think of it.

"Are you still up?" someone asked.Harry turned to see Hermione at the bottom of the girls' staircase.

"Um, yeah.Just…yeah."Harry wasn't feeling particularly eloquent just then.

"Let me take a wild guess here," Hermione said, walking over to the chair across from him."This has something to do with Cho?"

"Why would you think that?" Harry demanded.

"Um, you're not quite as mysterious as you think you are," Hermione explained.

Harry shrugged vaguely.

"Any chance you're going to tell me what's up?Otherwise I'll go back to bed."She started to stand.

"It's just," Harry started in a rush, "Cho's _changed_ over the past year.For the better, yeah, and I like her even more.But now she's going off again, and she's only just come back.And then she'll change more and…darn, this long-distance relationship thing is hard!"

Hermione sat down slowly."Did I ever tell you why Viktor and I broke up?"

"Ummm, was it because he never wrote?"

Hermione shook her head."No, he wrote constantly, and I would write back.It was wonderful.I visited him in Bulgaria in August, and it was amazing.We never got like you and Cho.I may never understand how you made it so long and so close.We wrote until almost Christmas, but it was hard.We had almost the same relationship we'd had while he was here.Viktor wanted something serious; I wanted us to take it slow.Well, at first it was fine, but I don't know.We were still a couple, really, but we couldn't do anything.I don't know, maybe if he'd been here, we might have had something, but writing back and forth we couldn't really…develop our relationship, grow closer.So that was it."Hermione finished in a rush, and then there was silence.

"Hermione…did you and him ever…?" Harry wasn't sure if he should ask.

"We kissed, three times."Hermione said it slowly, to her knees, not looking at Harry."Once on the last day of school…once on my last day in Bulgaria…" She looked up suddenly."You can never tell Ron any of this, you know."Harry nodded.Hermione took a deep breath and looked down again."He visited me once.Christmas vacation, fifth year.He said…the whole long-distance relationship thing was getting hard.He had to know if…if whatever we'd had before was still there."

"But you'd both changed?" Harry guessed.

Hermione shook her head slowly, not looking up."No.Well, we had, but I think we might have still worked something out.Who knows?Who ever knows?But…I couldn't.I could never have taken the letters, the constant wondering of when I'd see him next.It would have driven me crazy.That's why we broke up.He kissed me one last time.Good-bye."She seemed to be talking to herself now."Good-bye kisses are the saddest thing in the world.They're almost pointless sometimes.Are they supposed to make you feel better?"A long, contemplative look at her knees."Three good-bye kisses…heartbreak…and then Ron."She blinked and shook her head, coming out of her daze."Anyway," she continued at a brisker pace, looking at Harry, "it's kind of the same with you and Cho.It really might work out.But can you stand the waiting?The wondering?The…doubt?"Harry shuddered at the last word."Are you strong enough to wait it out…indefinitely?"She stood with a grin."Well, there's always one other option.You could join her."

Harry chuckled."No.That stuff's not for me."He looked very thoughtful.Hermione had given him even more to think about.

She hesitated at the foot of the stairs, looking back at him."Some advice I don't like to give Harry.But, I really think…well…if it's so hard…maybe it's just not meant to be." And she headed up the stairs without another word.

*** 

Ginny hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but she'd left a book downstairs and was going to get it when she heard Harry and Hermione talking.She'd had to listen, and even though she headed up to the room before they finished, she still heard the last comment.

Ginny thought long and hard over what she'd heard.Cho and Harry, breaking up?She thought about Harry's face at the Yule Ball when he thought about Cho.He would be better off without her.Then she thought of his face at the Three Broomsticks.Oh, how she wished he'd given her that look!Her heart gave a little thrill in her chest, but she knew it would never happen.That would always be his "Cho look," he would never look at anyone else the same way no matter what.He would never have another first love.But she loved that look.That face.She'd seen it again that day, on the Quidditch pitch.If they broke up, Harry would never look that way, feel that way again.And she would not, would NOT, be the cause of the destruction of something so wonderful!She couldn't let them break up.And yet…

Ginny thought long and hard, turning it all over in her head.She knew what she'd have to do.It wouldn't be easy, but it was for Harry.She would have to be on the look out, see Cho before Harry did.Ginny hoped Cho would return before she lost her nerve.

*** 

On the last day of Easter Holidays, Ginny was sitting on the stairs in the Entrance Hall.She had sat there every day waiting for Cho to come.

Her homework was splayed out in all directions, most of it finished.Except Divination, which she really wasn't looking forward to.Ron was right; this whole entrails thing was pretty nasty.On the bright side, they couldn't sacrifice a goat or bird every week, so they mostly did diagram interpretation (really good diagrams, very detailed…ick).Ginny was really dreading the final.Would she have to kill the animal, or would Trelawney use the same one for everyone?Just thinking about it was nauseating.

Thus, Ginny was slightly off-guard when Cho came into the Hall and started up the stairs.Ginny had no time to prepare herself.Now or never.

"Cho!Uh, hi!" Ginny tried to sound cheerful.

"Hello, Ginny.What are you doing here?"Cho looked surprised.Well, no wonder, really.

"Oh, there's, um, less distractions here than in the Common Room."Ginny was really reaching for an answer.

"Wouldn't the library be better?" Cho raised an eyebrow.

So much for being subtle."I need to talk to you," Ginny let it out in a rush."Um, have a seat by that diagram of, uh, by my Divination homework."Cho sat down, looking very confused.Well, at least she was sitting.Ginny was off to a great start.

"So?" Cho prompted."What do you want to talk about?"

_Well, no point in beating around the bush_.Ginny seemed to think in clichés when she was nervous."Harry loves you.Probably more than anything in the world.And you can't break up with him."She let it all out in a rush._Way to go_, she thought._That oughta do it._

"I'm not going to break up with him," Cho said, as if Ginny were a little child.Which was probably how she seemed to Cho.

Great.It was hopeless.She was only making things worse.But she was determined to try."Look, the whole long-distance relationship thing.It has to work out.Harry would never cheat on you, not in a million years."_Oh, that sounds mature_."The only reason he took me to the Ball was because he owed me a really big favor for all the times I got him out of Ron and Hermione's fights."It still didn't sound right!

Cho smiled, again as if Ginny were a little first year."Harry and I aren't going to break up over you."

This was going nowhere, fast.Ginny took a deep breath."Look, I've been hanging around with Harry all year.He talks about you…constantly. He missed you more than even he knew.And I think I have a good idea of how hard this long-distance relationship thing is.You're probably starting to think it will be easier all around if you two just call it friends.Right?"The look on Cho's face told Ginny she was right."You can't.Please.I know you two can work it out, work something out, because you're just so right for each other.What you have is so…wonderful, so great so…" she sighed, thinking of that expression she loved so much."Trust me on this, please.It can work out so well.Just don't take the easy way out."

Cho sat there for a long time.When she smiled, it was a smile between friends, or at least equals, not condescending."How do you know so much about romance?"

Ginny grinned."I have six older brothers.And they all have guy friends that are over at our house all the time.And all those boys have girlfriends, and _they_ come over a lot, too.I've had _so_ much experience with watching all them."She held a finger to her lips."But don't tell anyone.I want them all to think it's a natural talent."

Cho laughed.Then she looked seriously at Ginny, and said the four words Ginny had been dreading for so long."Do you love Harry?"

Ginny looked Cho in the eyes.No one had asked her that question, not directly.She couldn't lie.But telling the truth would undo all she had just said.

Cho answered for her."You do.Why are you doing this?"

"Because…because when he looks at you, have you ever seen his face?His expression?"Cho nodded slowly."I love that look, and Harry will never look that way at anyone else.Trust me, I know.I want him to look that way, feel that way, forever.And I never want his heart to be broken."Ginny looked at her."Don't you feel the same?"

Cho gave her such a calculated look that Ginny had to turn away.Because of this, she saw Harry come around the corner and give Cho that look Ginny loved so much.Cho smiled as she walked to Harry.Ginny's work was done.They would stay together.Ginny put her face in her hands and cried.

*** 

"Cho!"Harry sounded relieved."I wasn't sure you'd make it before the end of vacation.I've wanted to see you…"

Cho was giving him a very thoughtful look."Harry," she asked, "do you love me?"

Harry was shocked."Of course I do.More than anything.You know that."

Cho continued looking thoughtful."Harry, sit down.I have a lot to say."They had wandered into a classroom and sat at the desks.

"Should you start, or I?" Harry asked.

Cho looked surprised now.Well, that was a change, at least."You first."

"Cho, I love you.I trust you.I…I have nothing but good feelings for you."He grinned, then turned serious."But this long-distance thing is hard.And there's a reason that it usually doesn't work out.It takes more than the normal amount of commitment.Most people aren't up to it.I thought I was."Cho started to speak, but Harry raised a hand."Let me finish.I thought that this could work.For a whole year I thought of you, non-stop.It drove me crazy that I couldn't see your face, hear your voice, touch you, kiss you…" His voice trailed off.Then he took a deep breath."I'm not so sure I'm up to it.So I have to know, I have to.Do you really think this will last?Or do you want to give up, right now, before it can go any farther?"

Harry held his breath.He'd said what he thought, and now all he could do was wait for an answer.

Cho smiled.He loved that smile."You can breathe, Harry, I have a lot to say.First, I agree with everything you just said.And I love you, too, enough to keep trying."Harry let out a sigh of relief.But Cho wasn't done."But there's more to it than that.You're Harry Potter."Again, that thoughtful look.She must have had as much on her mind as Harry did."That has two sides to it.The great, good, famous, wonderful side, the side everyone falls in love with, the celebrity side.But then there's the other side.The danger, the fear…you've faced You-Know-Who _how_ many times?"She shook her head."It would take a strong person to ignore that half, an even stronger person to embrace it.Someone like Ron or Hermione or…" Harry couldn't begin to read her expression."I'd love you, even if you _weren't_ Harry Potter.But…I don't know if I can love you, even though you _are_ Harry Potter."She paused, hoping he understood.

Harry didn't know what to think."So…so this is it?"

Cho nodded.Her eyes were very shinny."Harry I…No."She looked straight at him."Don't let your heart break, don't waste any tears on me, never.Harry, I've been selfish not to break this off sooner when I knew it would never last.But…" She hesitated."But there's someone in this world, who will love you, Harry Potter, even if you weren't and even though you are.And she loves you more than I ever could.Find her, and good luck."Cho leaned forwards to kiss him.

Harry held up his hand.His eyes felt moist."Please, Cho.The last time I kissed you was a hello.Let's leave it that way.No good-bye kisses."

He looked at her for the last time, perhaps ever."Good-bye, Cho."

"Good-bye, Harry."She smiled…he loved that smile…then left.

Harry refused to break down and sob.So he just sat there, tears filling his eyes, but not falling.He didn't look away from the door she had passed through.She was gone.

*** 

Ginny sniffled and wiped her eyes.No sense in crying.The fates couldn't be cruel forever, could they?

"Hey, Ginny."If that were Colin, she would jump over the railing and end it all, right now.

It was Cho, who smiled."Down that corridor, third door on the right.Go."

Ginny had no idea what was going on.Was she hallucinating?

Cho looked her in the eyes."I've thought, for a while, that Harry might have fallen in love with you.I thought I had a rival.I came all the way here to fight you for him.Imagine a little girl trying to steal my boyfriend!I thought this would be easy."She shook her head."Wrong on every count.But go to him now.Down that corridor, third door on the right."

"What are you saying?" asked the incredulous Ginny.

"It's over.You've won.Good luck."Ginny was gone before the last words had passed Cho's lips.

She ran down the hallway to Harry.The door was still open, and Harry was staring at it, unmoving, unshed tears shining.

Ginny walked up to him and took his hand."It's your first heartbreak, Harry.It's the hardest one.It will hurt for a long time, but you'll live.You can get through it."

"She…" Harry gulped."She said I couldn't cry."He tried to smile, which just made Ginny's heart ache more.

"Forget that, Harry.She was wrong.If you don't cry, then the pain will just sit there and get worse and worse."

"But I…I've been through worse.I didn't cry then."

Ginny fought the urge to slap some sense into him."No.There's nothing like the first broken heart.And I know you want to cry, so cut the macho act and do it!"Ginny knelt next to Harry."Please, Harry.Just let it all out.As much as you need.I'm here."

Suddenly, Harry leaned forward and hugged her hard.He sobbed like he'd never sobbed before, and her shirt was soon wet.Ginny just sat there, holding him, letting him cry himself out.And fighting back tears as her own heart broke.

_AN: One more chapter to go!Hard to believe…or at least, it is for me.Anyway, nothing here was purposely copied or stolen from anyone, except all the Harry Potter stuff, which I stated in the previous disclaimer.So if something in here sounds like something you've read elsewhere…sorry, it was unintentional.Ah, well, still ahead: do Ginny and Harry become a couple and live happily ever after?The answer may surprise you.Or it may not, depending on how predictable I am._

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_OK, if you liked this story, please review!If you disliked it, please review and tell me why.If you have any opinion whatsoever regarding this story, please review.If you want to guess what happens next…well, you get the idea. _


	5. No Regrets

I Like You, I Love You, I Hate You

I Like You, I Love You, I Hate You

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A/N: Here it is: the last chapter.Written all at once, under the heavy influence of a whole lot of love songs on the radio, so it's very sappy.You have been warned.Enjoy!

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_This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reviewed, because if it weren't for you people, I never ever would have written it.Thanks to each and every one of you!_

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_Disclaimer: All characters, places, ideas, and everything else Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros."A Friend to Me"(the song) is by Garth Brooks, from his CD "Sevens."_

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Chapter 5 No Regrets By Booklovr 

The year passed.Chess games, Charms Competitions, Quidditch games, classes, homework, studying, days off.It seemed like it might actually be a normal year after all.Or as normal as Hogwarts ever got.

The seventh years had a dance, the Last Dance, the last night of school.This time Ron asked Hermione way in advance.

"Oh Ron," she smiled, "you don't need to ask!You know I'll say yes."

"I think she does that just to get to me," Ron later muttered to Harry.

Harry was determined not to wait until the last minute to ask someone.He just didn't know how.Not that he didn't have someone in mind.Plus, he was positive she would say yes.Well, pretty sure.95%…no 85% sure.Ok, 75% sure.All right, he wasn't sure at all.But he was positive she didn't already have a date.Well, pretty sure…

"Harry?" Ginny interrupted his thoughts.

"Huh?What?"Harry blushed a little guiltily.Talk about having the tables turned!

"Something on your mind?You've been awfully quite lately."

"Ummm," _Come on, Harry, now or never._"So, hey, Ginny…."

"Yes?" She looked hopeful.

"Uh…how's your homework?"_Coward._

"Oh."Sheer disappointment filled Ginny's face."Good.You know, studying for finals.Divination.It'll be my last one."She made a face."I have to know…will I have to sacrifice a goat?"

Harry grinned and moved to her couch."Nah, just a bird!"Ginny looked nauseous."It's easy enough, once you get it cut open.Just pretend to look at the guts, predict your own imminent death, and don't confuse the small and large intestines."Ginny still looked a little sick."It helps if you think about something else while you do it."

"Why?What did you think about?"

"Oh, I had…the dance to…think about."_No, don't think about Cho._

Ginny gave him a sympathetic smile."Well, I won't have that option will I?"

"Uh, right."_Say it._"So, if you live through the bird entrails…" _Say it!_"Uh, you want to go to the dance with me?"

"Really?"Ginny looked excited, then her face fell."Is everyone taken already?"

Harry took a deep breath."No.No, you're the first one I've asked.I really want to go with you."

"Really?"Now she was very excited."Oh, yes!Thank you!"

She jumped up and hugged him.Then she turned red, grabbed her books, and ran with a hurried "Bye."

Harry grinned.Things were back to normal.

Ron walked over."What was that about?"

"I asked her to the dance," Harry explained proudly.

Ron frowned."Is everyone already taken?"

"No…" Ron gave Harry a look that suddenly reminded him that Ginny was Ron's little sister."Uh, I just had a great time with her at the Ball…better to go with a friend than with a date, I think."

Ron nodded, looking satisfied."Good."Then a suspicious look."You're not…falling for Ginny, are you?"

"Um, nope.Still just friends."

"Good.I mean it's good that you two are friends."Then Ron stood up and walked away.

Harry had the distinct impression he'd been threatened.

*** 

Ginny felt like she was flying for the next few weeks.All her friends wanted to know what was up, but she refused to tell.It would be a fine way to thank Harry if she gossiped about him to all her friends!

Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup, the Charms Competition, and Hogwarts won the Chess Championship.Ginny found beautiful dress robes in Hogsmeade, just her size, and cheap enough that she still had some money left over to buy makeup and some hair things.She aced all of her finals; even Divination couldn't faze her.Her friends all said she looked more beautiful than ever before, positively glowing.She was going to the Dance with Harry.Life was absolutely perfect, and nothing, _nothing_ could bring her down.

Well, except one thing.

"Ginny?" Ron called, knocking on her dorm room door.

"Come in," she called dreamily, sitting in front of the vanity mirror and fixing her hair.

"So, you're going to the Dance with Harry tonight?"

"Mmm-hmmm."Would her hair look better all up?

"You excited?"

"Uh-huh."No, those curls were too nice to hide.Down.

"I bet you were thrilled when he asked you."

"Uh-huh."No, she couldn't leave her hair all wild.Something to hold back the curls.

"I suppose you still…like him?"

"Mmm."Two mini-French braids, from the front of the part line and around the extremes of her hairline, around to the base of her skull.

"Are you even listening to me?"

It was like a headband made of her hair.The curls hung loose, but wouldn't fall in her face or ears all night.Perfect."Course I am, Ron."She turned to her carefully pre-determined makeup colors.

Ron scowled."You do know this isn't a date, right?"

Ginny stopped, the foundation halfway to her face."What?"

Ron leaned against the wall, arms crossed."He told me he asked you because he wanted to go with a friend instead of a date."

Ginny's face fell."Oh.I…I…." She would not cry.She would NOT cry.

Ron was suddenly next to her."Are you alright?"

_Stupid question_."When he said he really wanted to go with me, I thought…" _Don't cry!_

Ron knelt beside her, more sympathetic than she'd ever seen him."Oh, Ginny!I'm sure he didn't mean you to think like that!And you _were_ the friend he picked to ask."Ginny nodded and wiped her eyes.Ron put his arm around her shoulders and gave them a little squeeze."Don't look so sad."

Ginny forced a smile."I…I know.It's just…well…after this he graduates, so this Dance is really my last chance, you know?And I thought…but now…."

Ron smiled encouragingly."Don't worry.I happen to know Harry makes a great friend.Don't know how he is for a boyfriend, though."

Ginny laughed, wiping her eyes again."Now I'm all blotchy."

"No.You look great.Put on your makeup."He stood up and smiled from the doorway."It's a night of last chances.Who knows what might happen?"

He left, and Ginny turned slowly back to the makeup.Well…even if Harry didn't think of her that way, she could still look nice for him.And, like Ron had said, who knew what could happen?

*** 

Harry was lying on his bed.A few weeks ago, he had received a letter from Cho.Reading only one or two sentences a day, he had managed to finally get through it all.She was fine, she hoped he was fine, hadn't found anything yet, but things were looking up, and now she was "seeing" that man, Todd.It made Harry wonder if something had been going on between them before, but that depressed him, so he started thinking about Ginny.He really did like her, but Ron didn't want them together.Maybe he didn't want to "share" his best friend with his sister.Or something.It really made things tough, but—

Just then Ron came in, looking angrier then Harry had ever seen him.Harry had spent the whole year being exposed to sibling rivalry at its worst.But this was only one extreme, and he was about to get his first taste of the other.

"Why didn't you tell Ginny you're going to the Dance as friends?"

"Uh…I thought she knew."

"Well, she didn't!She was almost in tears because she thought you finally _liked_ her, until I told her the truth!"

"What?Why did you tell her?"Harry jumped to his feet.

"Well, someone sure had to!"Harry suddenly noticed how much taller than him Ron was."Have you seen the way she's walked around school these last few weeks?I couldn't let her go to the Dance thinking that you…and then have her find out there!"

A thought abruptly struck Harry."Umm, why didn't you want me to, you know, date her?"

Ron was surprised by the change of subject and narrowed his eyes."I just don't want her to get hurt by some guy."

"Okay, two things.First, I am not just 'some guy'!"Ron didn't find it amusing."Right.Second, I wouldn't hurt Ginny.She's too important to you, and she's pretty important to me, too.There are guys in this world you should be worried about.But not me."

Ron thought about this and relaxed."Good."Then he grinned."What was I worried about?"

"Has anyone ever told you how scary you are when you're defending her?"

Ron considered this."I am?"His eyes got a look that made Harry a little nervous.Then he blinked and it was gone."Let's get ready."

*** 

Unlike the Ball, the Dance was held outside in the vast field behind Hogwarts.Lights shone from floating balls in the air.Music was amplified so everyone could hear it, wherever they stood.There was no feast, but there were some tables and a little buffet of finger foods and Butterbeer.The students stood on the grass, listening to Dumbledore.

"Seven years ago, all of you were just starting Hogwarts.Actually, seven years ago would be before you started, when quite a few of you didn't even know this world existed, never mind that you were a part of it.So much has happened since then, of which I don't think you need to be reminded tonight.Tomorrow, you will all get on that train home, and never come to this school again.Well, as students, at least.Many of you will never see each other again.Since this is your last night, I won't take up any more of your time.Just remember, this night is about last chances.Leave this school with no regrets."With that, he stepped down amid cheers, and was replaced by a Wizarding band, the Weird Sisters.

The band began playing and everyone started dancing.Ron was thankful he didn't have to dance in front of everyone this time.He and Hermione danced a few songs, Ron wondering where Harry and Ginny were.Then he saw why Ginny would be hiding.

He stepped away from Hermione and marched to a lone figure."Colin Creevey, what are you doing here?" Ron demanded.

Colin smiled and gestured with his camera."Pictures for the school paper.Why?Wanna pose?"

"Colin, it's the last day of school," Hermione reasoned.She had followed Ron."When will you run the article?"

"First thing next year, of course."He grinned."It was my idea."

"I'll just bet it was," Ron muttered.

"So, I hear your sister is here.Seen her?"

Ron just turned and stalked away.

He and Hermione danced a few more numbers, then went for Butterbeers.Ron saw Colin talking with Ginny and Harry.Ginny suddenly ran, nearly in tears, Harry following her.

Ron turned red.He began walking fast, Hermione calling for him to slow down.Ignoring her, he grabbed Colin's robes and pushed him against the table.

"Listen, Creevey, I don't know what your problem is, and I don't want to know.What I do know is that Ginny is _not interested_ in you, and if you come _near_ her ever again, I will personally _beat_ you into a bloody pulp.Do you understand?"Colin nodded weakly."Good."Ron liked that word.You could put a lot of different meanings to it.

Ron walked back through a group of open-mouthed spectators, one of whom was Hermione."I can't _believe_ you just did that!"

Ron grinned at her.He felt really good."No regrets.Can we go find Draco Malfoy?"He cracked his knuckles.

She shook her head, leading him back to the dancing."I don't think you need to do that."

"Last chance," he reminded her with a wicked look.

"I'm sure you'll have plenty more chances to threaten Malfoy."

"Alright.But if he ever bothers you again…"

She sighed and they danced again.Dancing with Hermione wasn't too bad…Ron actually liked it, a lot.He hardly ever stepped on her feet.

It was a good song.Ron hadn't heard it before.

Well you and I 

_We're buddies_

_And we've been since we first met_

_Me and you_

_Well we've sure been through_

_Our share of laughter and regret_

_ _

_Lord knows we've had our bad days_

_And more than once we've disagreed_

_But you've always been a friend to me_

_ _

_You can be so stubborn_

_There's times I think you just like to fight_

_And I hope and pray_

_I live to see a day_

_When you say I might be right_

_ _

_And there's times I'd rather kill you_

_Than listen to your honesty_

_But you've always been a friend to me_

_ _

_You've always been_

_Time and again_

_The one to take my hand_

_And show to me it's okay to be_

_Just the way I am_

_With no apology_

_ _

_Oh you've always been_

_And you will 'til God knows when_

_Yes you've always been a friend to me_

_ _

Ron began to think he was being steered.Hermione seemed to be looking at something behind him.Then she sighed and looked at him.

"Well, I don't think there will be anything I'll regret not doing.Do you?"

Ron thought, and then shook his head."You sure?"

She sighed."Well, there's something I should say."She looked deeply into his eyes."I love you.I love everything about you.Fighting with you, making up, and just being with you.I probably _will_ regret saying this, but I never want you to change.You're perfect just the way you are, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise.Including me."

Ron smiled."I feel the same way about you.And I've never loved you more then at this moment."He pulled her close, wrapping his arms tighter, closing his eyes, and resting his head on her hair.The music swelled, and Ron dissolved in the bliss of dancing with the one he loved.

*** 

The band began playing and everyone started dancing.Except Harry and Ginny, who sat at a table, talking.Ginny was absolutely gorgeous, in flowing blue robes, perfect makeup, and that wonderful braid-and-curl combination.Harry had been a little intimidated, between her beauty and Ron's threats, but now he was relaxed around her.It was just Ginny, after all, his partner for so many trips to the Three Broomsticks.

Harry had discovered something new about Ginny.She seemed to know an amazing amount about other people's love lives.She could say a lot just from watching them dance.But whenever Harry asked about this talent, she would simply say it was a "trade secret."

"Okay, will you at least tell me what the 'trade' is?"

She grinned wickedly."Not a chance.Pick someone else."

Harry considered the dancing couples."There.Neville and Parvati."

"Less than twenty-four hours.He asked her on the whole 'no regrets' thing, and she couldn't bear to say no.She'll dump him on the train tomorrow, or maybe tonight, if he steps on her feet as much as he did mine."She leaned back in her chair."Next?"

"Um, there.Seamus and Lavender."

"Hmmm, a few months, end of the summer at best.They've been on and off for years.He's too 'dull' for her.She'll leave him as soon as someone more interesting becomes available."She shook her head."School romances are too easy.I need a challenge!"

Harry grinned."Are you this good at predicting your own boyfriends?"

Ginny looked uncomfortable."I need a Butterbeer."

Harry followed, easily picking the red hair out of the crowd.

At the buffet table, Ginny ran straight into Colin.What are you doing here?"

He smiled."Photographs.I suggested the paper run an article on this Dance next year.What do you think?"

"You came here just to follow me, didn't you?"

Colin just kept smiling."I heard you were coming.With a friend."Ginny looked ready to deny it."Isn't that right, Harry?"

Ginny turned slowly to look at Harry.She hadn't known he'd followed her.She turned back to Colin."Yeah.Friends," she muttered, head down.

If possible, his stupid smile grew.She was trapped, and he knew it."Would you like to dance with me?"

Her head slowly rose."Why would I dance with you?"Harry couldn't see her face, but he could hear the anger in her voice.She would stand up to him.Good for her.

Colin leaned forwards, as if telling her a secret."Because no one else is going to, are they?"

Ginny backed up as if he'd hit her, then turned and ran, nearly in tears."Ginny!" Harry called, chasing after her.

He found her back at their table, eyes full of tears."Ginny?"

The tears fell."Why?Why is that the best I can do?Am I so repulsive that no other boys will look at me?It's true, isn't it?"She looked at Harry, waiting for an answer.

"No," he said softly, decisively."No, it's not."

"Then why…why won't anyone _dance_ with me?"

"Maybe they're afraid,"

"Afraid of what?"

Harry thought hard."I don't know."Then, firmly, "Ginny, will you dance with me?"

She gasped and blinked.The tears dried quickly."Uh…yes!"Then she turned away."My makeup is all smeared, I must look--"

"You look beautiful.Come on."And he pulled her onto the dance floor before he could lose his nerve.

After a few awkward seconds, they got into the music and began to dance.Ginny looked at him, hope rising in her eyes once again.

"Ginny," Harry murmured."I have to tell you.We can't…we can't be a couple.Not now."

"Why not?"Her eyes were absolutely blank.

"Because…because of what happened with me and Cho.The whole long-distance relationship thing.I don't want to put you through that.Not like I was."He smiled."But we can have tonight."She smiled back, just a little.

After a little while, Harry got into the rhythm of the song and stopped stepping on her feet.He noticed Ron and Hermione nearby, dancing close.He pointed."There.How long?"

Ginny thought for a moment."That's a tough one.I give them a year.By then, they'll either be killing each other…or the happiest married couple I've ever seen."They both smiled at that.

After a moment, Harry asked, "Have you ever been kissed?"

She looked down, shaking her head.Harry remembered Hermione and her three good-bye kisses.The worst kind, the saddest kind.But tonight wasn't a good-bye.

Harry looked at Hermione and Ron.Ron had his back to them, and Hermione was watching Harry and Ginny dance.She gave Harry a smile and a wink.

He took Ginny's chin in his hands and gently raised her face to his."No regrets," Harry said.The kiss was long and deep, and pretty darn good for a first kiss.

When they pulled apart, Ginny smiled at him.It was a sweet, blissful smile, not one Harry had seen before.

The next day would bring good-byes, the trip home, and the uncovering of an evil plot involving Voldemort, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and Draco Malfoy.And the years that followed would bring the war against Voldemort, a long and bloody war, a time of darkness and sadness.

But tonight there was the wonderful music, and Ginny's loving brown eyes.

_A/N:That's it.I'm done.The story is over.And if anywhere in there I copied someone else's work, or missed on a disclaimer, just tell me and I'll fix it.I might some day write a sequel, which tells where they all are about ten years later.It just needs a plot…But until then, thank you to everyone who reviewed (__J):_** Sharpshot Legend, velvet sun, The_Blue_Pen_Fairy, ayellowbanana, Songficcer, violet, Eris Snow, Professor Zodiac, rebekah, ~Sarcastic Princess~, ****snickers, starfishy, ****Jessika Organa Solo, ****Desiree, ****moonymeggers, Galadriel, ****eos.**_You are all the best! By the way, if anyone out there would like to earn my eternal gratitude by beta reading my future stories, email me at [pixiedust122@hotmail.com][1] I just can't guarantee how soon the next story will be done…_

_ _

_One last thing: I know, the story is done, so no matter how much you review I won't write another chapter, so why bother?Well, reviews feed my muse and when my muse is happy I write better, so if you review there's a good chance that thanks to YOU my next story will be written faster and better.So, please, review! __J_

   [1]: mailto:pixiedust122@hotmail.com



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